duminică, 19 februarie 2012

[Earthwise] Digest Number 2792

Messages In This Digest (4 Messages)

Messages

1.

BOOK REVIEW - Ghost Hunting for Beginners

Posted by: "gleason.mike@comcast.net" gleason.mike@comcast.net

Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:58 am (PST)





Ghost Hunting for Beginners by Rich Newman © 2011 Llewellyn ISBN: 978-0-7387-2088-3

Paperback 426 pages $17.95 (U.S.) $20.95 (Canada)

I'm going to stray from the Pagan/Craft path for a bit, but only by a little, since many of us have an interest in the paranormal in addition to our other interests.

Mr. Newman's previous book ( The Ghost Hunter's Field Guide ), which I reviewed last year, told prospective ghost hunters WHERE to go for ghostly experiences. This book is designed to help you investigate and document those experiences. Although there are ample anecdotal references, the emphasis is on proper attitude, proper use of equipment, proper procedures, etc. It is a valuable resource for that reason.

With the popularity of programming concerning ghosts and paranormal experiences on cable TV and the internet, more people are getting involved. Unfortunately, there is a lot of enthusiasm, but not a lot of preparation and proper documentation. Trust me, some of the shows are more about promoting the individuals and their own beliefs (and in some cases, selling merchandise) than they are about attempting to offer scientific explanations concerning the phenomenon. Sometimes the only response at the end of the investigation is "We didn't encounter anything, so we can't make a judgment," but that doesn't make for good ratings

Mr. Newman offers advice and guidance which, until colleges and universities begin to offer courses leading to certification in this field, will serve the novice well. His primary advice, and something which applies universally, is to approach any potentially haunted location with an open mind. Being a complete believer is no better than being a total debunker. The paranormal, by definition, is that which lies outside of "normal" experience (notice that the word is "normal" not "natural". Nothing can be supernatural [beyond nature], since that is an all-encompassing word), and therefore must be carefully investigated BEFORE a decision can be reached.

I do not always agree with the author's evaluation of some of the investigators in the field, past and present, but that is all I can say. He has his opinions, I have mine, and neither one needs to justify themselves. On the other hand, his recommendations for documenting occurrences are spot on, and should be obvious to anyone (which is precisely why they need to be stated).

He explains each of the tools necessary for the work at hand in their own chapters, and offers a variety of options based on the size of the group and how much money is available for outfitting the team. He goes into detail about what you need to do (and not do) for your results to be taken seriously. Many of his suggestions are decidedly low tech, which is nice to see in today's economy.

This book is an excellent stepping off point for the novice. Unfortunately, it is unlikely to be followed by a volume aimed at the "intermediate" ghost hunter since, by the time you have progressed beyond the beginner/novice stage, most of what follows depends upon your own ability to interpret results, and there is no way to teach that. Each encounter and experience is unique.

He stresses, throughout the book, the necessity for accurate record keeping. This is one of those things which are so obvious, it shouldn't need stating so it needs to be restated often. I remember passing along a little bit of (to me) obvious knowledge to a student one day: "Everybody knows that if you cut an apple horizontally, you reveal a pentagram in the core." The problem was, no one had ever told him that, so it came across as a revelation to him. And it shouldn't have! As one of my favorite characters in the Sci-Fi world (Lazarus Long) once said: "If 'everybody knows' such-and-such, then it ain't so, by at least ten thousand to one."

If you are interested in ghost hunting, either as a profession or as a hobby, this book is an absolute necessity BEFORE you buy your first piece of equipment, and definitely before you tackle your first investigation. At then end, after providing all kinds of technical advice the author segues into helping you set up your group (informal or formal; religious, psychic, or scientific, recreational or professional, website or no website are all topics he looks at, helping you find sources of income (after warning the reader that it is an "industry standard" that no group charges for an investigation), as well as providing checklists for the gear you will probably want to acquire, the steps in a proper investigation, and a short glossary of terms.

Remember when I said "... until colleges and universities begin to offer courses leading to certification in this field...", this book would make a good basis for setting up such courses. Naturally there would need to be additional texts and training, but with this book on your shelf, you will be off to a good start.

2a.

Re: This can save your life:  Where to Go During an Earthquake

Posted by: "Diana Symons" dianamsymons@yahoo.com   dianamsymons

Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:57 pm (PST)



If this saves 1 life than it is worth it.
Thanks for reading.
Diana

From: Ashley Passino <apryansqueen@yahoo.com>
To: "EarthwiseBOS@yahoogroups.com" <EarthwiseBOS@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2011 4:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Earthwise] This can save your life: Where to Go During an Earthquake

 
Coming from WA state, I know all too well about earthquakes, being in a few myself. Still very useful information:

From: Diana Symons <dianamsymons@yahoo.com>
To: Janell Cook <janellcook@cox.net>; David Norsworthy <davidnorsworthy@sbcglobal.net>; Dana Gilbert <dragon_keepr@yahoo.com>; Mike Standifer <Mstanifer55@Live.com>; Angela Zenner <angela@aztechwebdesign.com>; "EarthwiseBOS@yahoogroups.com" <EarthwiseBOS@yahoogroups.com>; David Menchue <david@gpadvantage.com>; "ancientriders@yahoogroups.com" <ancientriders@yahoogroups.com>; "brittany.hellyer@gmail.com" <brittany.hellyer@gmail.com>; EarthwiseBOS Moderator <EarthwiseBOS-owner@yahoogroups.com>; Angie Crandall <acrandall@justicetoday.com>; "gruver-jennifer@yahoo.com" <gruver-jennifer@yahoo.com>; "rc55ark@yahoo.com" <rc55ark@yahoo.com>; "betty@paradisemusic.us.com" <betty@paradisemusic.us.com>; "bmiddleton7320@gmail.com" <bmiddleton7320@gmail.com>; "alissa.galstad@gmail.com" <alissa.galstad@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 6:14 PM
Subject: [Earthwise] This can save your life: Where to Go During an Earthquake [10 Attachments]

 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Kathy Miller <kcmillerrd@gmail.com>
To: "Miller, Bekah" <millerRF@hendrix.edu>; Diana Symons <dianamsymons@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 11:46 AM
Subject: Fwd: Fw: Where to Go During an Earthquake

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Robert Vinson <rev@sw.rr.com> Date: Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 11:17 AM Subject: Fw: Where to Go During an Earthquake To:

JO KITT AND I WERE IN A SHO NUF EARTHQUAKE THIS FALL IN VIRGINIA. WE HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT TO DO TO SAVE OUR LIVES. THERE WAS AN EARTHQUAKE AND AFTERSHOCKS IN OKLAHOMA ALSO THIS FALL. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE...
 
WITH THE ENCLOSED INFORMATION, WE WOULD HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF SURVIVING OUR NEXT ENCOUNTER.
 
BOBBY

 

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>Where to Go During an Earthquake
>
>Remember that stuff about hiding under a table or standing in a doorway? Well, forget it! This is a real eye opener. It could save your life someday.
>
>EXTRACT FROM DOUG COPP'S ARTICLE ON 'THE TRIANGLE OF LIFE'
>
>My name is Doug Copp. I am the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American Rescue Team International (ARTI ), the world's most experienced rescue team. The information in this article will save lives in an earthquake.
>
>I have crawled inside 875 collapsed buildings, worked with rescue teams from 60 countries, founded rescue teams in several countries, and I am a member of many rescue teams from many countries. I was the United Nations expert in Disaster Mitigation for two years, and have worked at every major disaster in the world since 1985, except for simultaneous disasters.
>
>The first building I ever crawled inside of was a school in Mexico City during the 1985 earthquake. Every child was under its desk. Every child was crushed to the thickness of their bones. They could have survived by lying down next to their desks in the aisles. It was obscene -- unnecessary.
>
>Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a space or void next to them - NOT under them. This space is what I call the 'triangle of life'. The larger the object, the stronger, the less it will compact. The less the object compacts, the larger the void, the greater the probability that the person who is using this void for safety will not be injured. The next time you watch collapsed buildings, on television, count the 'triangles' you see formed. They are everywhere. It is the most common shape, you will see, in a collapsed building.
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>TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY
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>1) Most everyone who simply 'ducks and covers' when building collapse are crushed to death. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are crushed.
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>2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct. You can survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa, next to a bed, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.
>
>3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake. If the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also, the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs.
>
>4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on the back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.
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>5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair.
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>6) Most everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is killed. How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the door jam falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be killed!
>
>7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different 'moment of frequency' (they swing separately from the main part of the building). The stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads - horribly mutilated. Even if the building doesn't collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged.
>
>8) Get near the outer walls of buildings or outside of them if possible - It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked.
>
>9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what happened with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and sitting or lying next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them. All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars that had columns fall directly across them.
>
>10) I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and other offices with a lot of paper, that paper does not compact. Large voids are found surrounding stacks of paper.
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>Spread the word and save someone's life...
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>The entire world is experiencing natural calamities so be prepared!
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>'We are but angels with one wing, it takes two to fly'
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>In 1996 we made a film, which proved my survival methodology to be correct. The Turkish Federal Government, City of Istanbul , University of Istanbul Case Productions and ARTI cooperated to film this practical, scientific test. We collapsed a school and a home with 20 mannequins inside. Ten mannequins did 'duck and cover,' and ten mannequins I used in my 'triangle of life' survival method. After the simulated earthquake collapse we crawled through the rubble and entered the building to film and document the results. The film, in which I practiced my survival techniques under directly observable, scientific conditions , relevant to building collapse, showed there would have been zero percent survival for those doing duck and cover.
>
>There would likely have been 100 percent survivability for people using my method of the 'triangle of life.' This film has been seen by millions of viewers on television in Turkey and the rest of Europe, and it was seen in the USA , Canada and Latin America on the TV program Real TV.
>
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>Subject: Save your life with "The Triangle of Life"
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>
>"Triangle of Life":
>
>Without listening or reading, simply by looking at the following self-explanatory photos, you can learn more than in a thousand words about how to protect yourself during a major earthquake...
>
>
>If you are inside a vehicle, come out and sit or lie down next to it. If something falls on the vehicle, it will leave an empty space along the sides. See below:
>
>
>Source:åÅ"‹éš›æ•‘æ�´å°�組(ARTI)ï¼Å'網�:http://www.amerrescue.org/
>
>American Rescue Team International(ARTI)is said to be the World's most experienced rescue team and disaster management-mitigation organization.

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3.

If you like Eckhart Tolle, Ramana Maharshi, Kahlil Gibran I would li

Posted by: "joyofbeing7" joyofbeing7@yahoo.com   joyofbeing7

Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:57 pm (PST)



If you like Eckhart Tolle, Ramana Maharshi, Kahlil Gibran
I would like to share an author with the same message as Eckhart's ,
Ilie Cioara's The Silence of the Mind

I invite you to watch the 6 beautiful youtube videos as well as and other quotes on the website http://thesilencebook.blogspot.com/

You can read a few quotes below
Lots of love
Namaste

"In the whole Universe, there is nothing static, dead or frozen. Everything, but absolutely everything, is in eternal movement. Even within the so-called still nature reigns the same intrinsic law of movement.
Movement and newness, in perfect interconnecteness, affirm themselves as uniqueness.
In order to be able to encounter the newness of the aliveness in its movement, we must come out and greet it the same way. Thus, we don't return to the past, to what happened, nor we project ourselves into the future, in pursuit of an imaginary purpose or ideal to fulfill.
With a completely empty mind, we simply watch life as it unfolds. Nothing comes between us and the movement of life, in the form of images, opinions etc. Such a simple and direct meeting with the moment transcends us spontaneously from the finite world into Infinity.
And just as quickly, like lightning, we detach, in order to be free again, and therefore completely available to encountering the next moment. Nothing is anticipated and nothing is accumulated from the lived moment.
The purity, innocence of the mind is our constant companion, as each moment becomes an opportunity of creative "being". Through this way of "being" - as pure Consciousness - we ourselves create a new world in which Love, beauty, compassion and kindness become a reality which positively influences the whole of humankind."

The Power of Emptiness

The mind is completely silent, we are attentive – a clear consciousness, / All meanings, boundaries disappear – us and the Infinite are "One"; / Practically, we have a new mind – always fresh. / Being in the pause – I become infinite! / It separates two worlds. I leave the limited world / And enter Boundlessness, through total melting; / The whole being is calm – a constant sparkle. / There is no time, no space – just everlasting Eternity; / I move in direct contact with life, in a permanent present.

***

How can we free ourselves from the past and the future? It is all very simple! With a lucid, all-encompassing Attention, we will watch every reaction of the mind, without pursuing any purpose or goal. Everything we encounter in such a manner disappears and, in the void which appears spontaneously, an unlimited energy is available at our fingertips and we are able to understand the absolute Reality through a direct experience.
In this state, we acquire a great sensitivity and everything that life brings forth in its natural flow is being regarded and appreciated with love and kindness.
Man is truly wise only when, detached from his selfish "self", he is united with Infinity through non-action and an aware passiveness of the mind.
This mysterious encounter is accompanied by simplicity. Once the past has disappeared, we are integrated in the now and, with a clear and lucid mind, we watch everything that comes as constant freshness from one moment to the other.

***

Creation is constant movement, eternal newness and absolute freshness. It never repeats itself, it is never static and it is never caught in the trap of time and space.
The individual mind, no matter how cultured, has no access to the phenomenon of creation and cannot understand it, because the mind is always old and outdated. Each movement of this particular mind separates and limits. Thus, with such a mind, we will never, in any circumstances, be able to discover the mysteries of the movement of creation.
Therefore, this ordinary mind must be silent! But how can we make it become silent? Only in one way: when we encounter it simply and directly, with the flame of Attention, without having any motives or ideals to accomplish.
If the meeting happens in the right way, the mind becomes quiet - it becomes completely silent - and in that moment our whole being is detached from the known. From then on, the vessel of consciousness, thus emptied, is able to encompass and understand the newness brought forth by the movement of life.
Therefore, a new mind, without limits and without knowledge; in its stillness, it is creative and through it, the person is always new and active. Such a mind, in a state of Pure Consciousness, creates radical changes in the structure of the ordinary man by its simple presence.


********

Perfectly conscious, I see the emptiness of this world directly and my mind becomes silent. I have no choices, not even at the level of understanding of this limited mind. In the silence that ensues, the mystery reveals by itself its secrets to us.
The whole being expands to infinity. A light such as we have never experienced before envelops us and heals us. Out of time and space, we have a pure consciousness - in perfect union with the Supreme Being.
All of these demonstrate that the alive within us is, in its essence, immortal. It has no beginning, no end, it never sleeps, being therefore always awake.



Ilie Cioara

4.

Playing Card Tarot

Posted by: "Silver Fox" silverfox_57@hotmail.com   trickster9993

Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:51 pm (PST)





Playing Card Tarot

From 'The Book of
Days: A Miscellany of Popular Antiquities' Volume One by Robert Chambers,
published 1869 by W&R Chambers, London and Edinburgh.

There are a number of ways to read playing cards like
Tarot. In general practice, reading a
deck of playing cards is roughly equivalent to reading only the minor arcana
(suits, not trumps). If you use them in
this way, consider hearts to be Cups, diamonds to be Wands, spades to be
Swords, and clubs to be Pentacles. All
cards are equal to their equivalent in the Tarot deck, although you must decide
beforehand whether to consider jacks as Knights or Pages, or some combination
of the two.

In Natural Magic, Doreen Valiente records another system
which was published in 'The Book of Days' by Robert Chambers. In this system, you would shuffle the cards
and deal out the entire pack in rows of nine (the last row will be only
seven). You then turn over all of the
cards, and read every ninth card from the querant card (which will be a court
card representing a person of the querant's gender and complexion). She gives these attributions to the various
cards:

Diamonds:

King - A man of very fair complexion; quick to anger, but
soon appeased

Queen - A very fair woman; full of gaiety, and a coquette

Knave - A selfish and deceitful relative; fair and false

Ten - Money. Success in honorable business

Nine - A roving disposition, combined with honorable and
successful adventure in foreign lands

Eight - A happy, prudent marriage, though rather late in
life

Seven - Satire. Scandal. Unpleasant business matters.

Six - Marriage early in life, succeeded by widowhood

Five - Unexpected news, generally of a good kind

Four - An unfaithful friend. A secret betrayed.

Trey - Domestic troubles, quarrels, and unhappiness

Deuce - A clandestine engagement. A card of caution.

Ace - A wedding ring. An offer of marriage.

Hearts:

King - A fair, but not very fair, complexioned man; good
natured, but rather obstinate, and, when angered, not easily appeased

Queen - A woman of the same complexion as the King;
faithful, prudent and affectionate

Knave - An unselfish relative. A sincere friend.

Ten - Health and happiness, with many children.

Nine - Wealth. High position in society. The wish card.

Eight - Fine clothes. Pleasure. Mixing in good society;
going to balls, theatres, etc.

Seven - Many good friends.

Six - Honorable courtship.

Five - A present.

Four - Domestic troubles caused by jealousy

Trey - Poverty, shame and sorrow, caused by imprudence. A
card of caution.

Deuce - Success in life, position in society, and a happy
marriage, attained by virtuous discretion.

Ace - The house of the person consulting the decrees of
fate.

Spades:

King - A man of very dark complexion, ambitious and
unscrupulous.

Queen - A very dark complexioned woman, of malicious
disposition. A widow.

Knave - A lawyer. A person to be shunned.

Ten - Disgrace; crime; imprisonment. Death on the scaffold.
A card of caution.

Nine - Grief; ruin; sickness; death

Eight - Great danger from imprudence. A card of caution.

Seven - Unexpected poverty caused by the death of a
relative. A lean sorrow.

Six - A child. To the unmarried, a card of caution.

Five - Great danger from giving way to bad temper. A card of caution.

Four - Sickness.

Trey - A journey by land. Tears.

Deuce - A removal.

Ace - Death; malice; a duel; general misfortune.

Clubs:

King - A dark complexioned man, though not so dark as the
king of spades; upright, true and affectionate.

Queen - A woman of the same complexion, agreeable, genteel
and witty.

Knave - A sincere, but rather hasty-tempered friend.

Ten - Unexpected wealth, through the death of a relative. A
fat sorrow.

Nine - Danger caused by drunkenness. A card of caution.

Eight - Danger from covetousness. A card of caution.

Seven - A prison. Danger arising from the opposite sex. A
card of caution.

Six - Competence by hard-working industry.

Five - A happy, though not wealthy, marriage.

Four - Danger of misfortunes caused by inconstancy or
capricious temper. A card of caution.

Trey - Quarrels. Or in reference to time, may signify three
years, three months, three weeks, or three days. It also denotes that a person will be married
more than once.

Deuce - Vexation, disappointment.

Ace - A letter.

Quoted in 'Natural Magic' by Doreen Valiente published 1975
by Phoenix Publishing, Custer, Washington,
USA.

Silver Fox

"It is all true, it is not true. The more I tell you, the more I shall lie. What is story but jesting Pilate's cry. I am not paid to tell you the truth."

Jane Yolen; The Storyteller
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